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The Sun has revealed it is to start charging for access to its website from 1 August with the launch of Sun+.

For £2 a week the News International title will offer full digital access including near-live highlights from Premier League matches.

From August, News International has a three-year deal meaning The Sun, Times and Sunday Times can show clips online from all top flight football fixtures.

The Sun's online paywall will cover all existing content on The Sun website.

Mike Darcey, chief executive of News International, said: "Sun+ is a fantastic new package which provides readers with exclusive access to an ever increasing bundle of products, services and offers at an unbeatable price.

“This move ensures we will be offering a compelling paid-for package across all our titles, delivering great value for news that is worth paying for.

“With the addition of the Premier League clips, we will be able to build on The Times’ credentials as Sports Newspaper of the Year, The Sun’s reputation as the paper for football and The Sunday Times’ renowned in-depth analysis and comment.”

News International acquired the rights to Premier League football highlights on websites and mobile in January and is reported to have paid more than £30m.

According to News International, the paywall cover access to web, phone and tablet devices and will include "exclusive perks such as great value offers and promotions".

The move means that as of August 1, looking at UK national press websites: The Sun, Times and Sunday Times will all be behind full online paywalls and the Telegraph titles and Financial Times will be behind metered paywalls (offering limited free access). The remaining national press titles are all currently free-to-air online. The two biggest national press websites - Mail Online and Guardian.co.uk - do not appear to have any plans to start charging for website access.

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